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		<h1>7. The Journey to the Great Oz</h1>
<p>
They were obliged to camp out that night under 
a large tree in the forest, for there were no 
houses near. The tree made a good, thick 
covering to protect them from the dew, and the 
Tin Woodman chopped a great pile of wood with 
his axe and Dorothy built a splendid fire that 
warmed her and made her feel less lonely. She 
and Toto ate the last of their bread, and now 
she did not know what they would do for 
breakfast.
</p><p>
<span class="diag11">"If you wish,"</span> said the Lion, <span class="diag11">"I 
will go into the forest and kill a deer for 
you. You can roast it by the fire, since your 
tastes are so peculiar that you prefer cooked 
food, and then you will have a very good 
breakfast."</span>
</p><p>
<span class="diag10">"Don't! Please don't,"</span> 
begged the Tin Woodman. "I should certainly weep if you killed a poor 
deer, and then my jaws would rust again."</span>
</p><p>
But the Lion went away into the forest and 
found his own supper, and no one ever knew 
what it was, for he didn't mention it. And the 
Scarecrow found a tree full of nuts and filled 
Dorothy's basket with them, so that she would 
not be hungry for a long time. She thought 
this was very kind and thoughtful of the 
Scarecrow, but she laughed heartily at the 
awkward way in which the poor creature picked 
up the nuts. His padded hands were so clumsy 
and the nuts were so small that he dropped 
almost as many as he put in the basket. But 
the Scarecrow did not mind how long it took 
him to fill the basket, for it enabled him to 
keep away from the fire, as he feared a spark 
might get into his straw and burn him up. So 
he kept a good distance away from the flames, 
and only came near to cover Dorothy with dry 
leaves when she lay down to sleep. These kept 
her very snug and warm, and she slept soundly 
until morning.
</p><p>
When it was daylight, the girl bathed her face 
in a little rippling brook, and soon after 
they all started toward the Emerald City.
</p><p>
This was to be an eventful day for the 
travelers. They had hardly been walking an 
hour when they saw before them a great ditch 
that crossed the road and divided the forest 
as far as they could see on either side. It 
was a very wide ditch, and when they crept up 
to the edge and looked into it they could see 
it was also very deep, and there were many 
big, jagged rocks at the bottom. The sides 
were so steep that none of them could climb 
down, and for a moment it seemed that their 
journey must end.
</p><p>
<span class="diag4">"What shall we do?"</span> 
asked Dorothy despairingly.
</p><p>
<span class="diag10">"I haven't the faintest 
idea,"</span> said the Tin Woodman, and the 
Lion shook his shaggy mane and looked 
thoughtful.
</p><p>
But the Scarecrow said, <span class="diag19">"We 
cannot fly, that is certain. Neither can we 
climb down into this great ditch. Therefore, 
if we cannot jump over it, we must stop where 
we are."</span>
</p><p>
<span class="diag11">"I think I could jump 
over it,"</span> said the Cowardly Lion, after 
measuring the distance carefully in his mind.
</p><p>
<span class="diag9">"Then we are all right,"</span> answered the 
Scarecrow, <span class="diag9">"for you can 
carry us all over on your back, one at a 
time."</span>
</p><p>
<span class="diag11">"Well, I'll try it,"</span> said the Lion. <span class="diag11">"Who 
will go first?"</span>
</p><p>
<span class="diag9">"I will,"</span> declared the 
Scarecrow, <span class="diag9">"for, if you 
found that you could not jump over the gulf, 
Dorothy would be killed, or the Tin Woodman 
badly dented on the rocks below. But if I am 
on your back it will not matter so much, for 
the fall would not hurt me at all."</span>
</p><p>
<span class="diag11">"I am terribly afraid of 
falling, myself,"</span> said the Cowardly 
Lion, <span class="diag11">"but I suppose 
there is nothing to do but try it. So get on 
my back and we will make the attempt."</span>
</p><p>
The Scarecrow sat upon the Lion's back, and 
the big beast walked to the edge of the gulf 
and crouched down.
</p><p>
<span class="diag9">"Why don't you run and 
jump?"</span> asked the Scarecrow.
</p><p>
<span class="diag11">"Because that isn't the way we 
Lions do these things,"</span> he replied. Then 
giving a great spring, he shot through the air 
and landed safely on the other side. They were 
all greatly pleased to see how easily he did 
it, and after the Scarecrow had got down from 
his back the Lion sprang across the ditch again.
</p><p>
Dorothy thought she would go next; so she took 
Toto in her arms and climbed on the Lion's 
back, holding tightly to his mane with one 
hand. The next moment it seemed as if she were 
flying through the air; and then, before she 
had time to think about it, she was safe on 
the other side. The Lion went back a third 
time and got the Tin Woodman, and then they 
all sat down for a few moments to give the 
beast a chance to rest, for his great leaps 
had made his breath short, and he panted like 
a big dog that has been running too long.
</p><p>
They found the forest very thick on this side, 
and it looked dark and gloomy. After the Lion 
had rested they started along the road of 
yellow brick, silently wondering, each in his 
own mind, if ever they would come to the end 
of the woods and reach the bright sunshine 
again. To add to their discomfort, they soon 
heard strange noises in the depths of the 
forest, and the Lion whispered to them that it 
was in this part of the country that the 
Kalidahs lived.
</p><p>
<span class="diag4">"What are the 
Kalidahs?"</span> asked the girl.
</p><p>
<span class="diag11">"They are monstrous 
beasts with bodies like bears and heads like 
tigers,"</span> replied the Lion, <span class="diag11">"and 
with claws so long and sharp that they could 
tear me in two as easily as I could kill Toto. 
I'm terribly afraid of the Kalidahs."</span>
</p><p>
<span class="diag4">"I'm not surprised that 
you are,"</span> returned Dorothy. 
<span class="diag4">"They must be dreadful 
beasts."</span>
</p><p>
The Lion was about to reply when suddenly they 
came to another gulf across the road. But this 
one was so broad and deep that the Lion knew 
at once he could not leap across it.
</p><p>
So they sat down to consider what they should 
do, and after serious thought the Scarecrow 
said:
</p><p>
<span class="diag9">"Here is a great 
tree, standing close to the ditch. If 
the Tin Woodman can chop it down, so 
that it will fall to the other side, 
we can walk across it easily."</span>
</p><p>
<span class="diag11">"That is a 
first-rate idea,"</span> said the Lion. <span class="diag11">"One 
would almost suspect you had brains in 
your head, instead of straw."</span>
</p><p>
The Woodman set to work at once, and 
so sharp was his axe that the tree was 
soon chopped nearly through. Then the 
Lion put his strong front legs against 
the tree and pushed with all his 
might, and slowly the big tree tipped 
and fell with a crash across the 
ditch, with its top branches on the 
other side.
</p><p>
They had just started to cross this 
queer bridge when a sharp growl made 
them all look up, and to their horror 
they saw running toward them two great 
beasts with bodies like bears and 
heads like tigers.
</p><p>
<span class="diag11">"They are the 
Kalidahs!"</span> said the Cowardly 
Lion, beginning to tremble.
</p><p>
<span class="diag9">"Quick!"</span> cried the 
Scarecrow. <span class="diag9">"Let us 
cross over."</span>
</p><p>
So Dorothy went first, holding Toto in 
her arms, the Tin Woodman followed, 
and the Scarecrow came next. The Lion, 
although he was certainly afraid, 
turned to face the Kalidahs, and then 
he gave so loud and terrible a roar 
that Dorothy screamed and the 
Scarecrow fell over backward, while 
even the fierce beasts stopped short 
and looked at him in surprise.
</p><p>
But, seeing they were bigger than the 
Lion, and remembering that there were 
two of them and only one of him, the 
Kalidahs again rushed forward, and the 
Lion crossed over the tree and turned 
to see what they would do next. 
Without stopping an instant the fierce 
beasts also began to cross the tree. 
And the Lion said to Dorothy:
</p><p>
<span class="diag11">"We are lost, for 
they will surely tear us to pieces 
with their sharp claws. But stand 
close behind me, and I will fight 
them as long as I am alive."</span>
</p><p>
<span class="diag9">"Wait a minute!"</span> called the 
Scarecrow. He had been thinking what 
was best to be done, and now he asked 
the Woodman to chop away the end of 
the tree that rested on their side of 
the ditch. The Tin Woodman began to 
use his axe at once, and, just as the 
two Kalidahs were nearly across, the 
tree fell with a crash into the gulf, 
carrying the ugly, snarling brutes 
with it, and both were dashed to 
pieces on the sharp rocks at the 
bottom.
</p><p>
<span class="diag11">"Well,"</span> said the Cowardly 
Lion, drawing a long breath of 
relief, <span class="diag11">"I see we 
are going to live a little while 
longer, and I am glad of it, for it 
must be a very uncomfortable thing 
not to be alive. Those creatures 
frightened me so badly that my heart 
is beating yet."</span>
</p><p>
<span class="diag10">"Ah,"</span> said the Tin 
Woodman sadly, <span class="diag10">"I 
wish I had a heart to beat."</span>
</p><p>
This adventure made the travelers more 
anxious than ever to get out of the 
forest, and they walked so fast that 
Dorothy became tired, and had to ride 
on the Lion's back. To their great joy 
the trees became thinner the farther 
they advanced, and in the afternoon 
they suddenly came upon a broad river, 
flowing swiftly just before them. On 
the other side of the water they could 
see the road of yellow brick running 
through a beautiful country, with 
green meadows dotted with bright 
flowers and all the road bordered with 
trees hanging full of delicious 
fruits. They were greatly pleased to 
see this delightful country before 
them.
</p><p>
<span class="diag4">"How shall we 
cross the river?"</span> asked Dorothy.
</p><p>
<span class="diag9">"That is easily 
done,"</span> replied the Scarecrow. <span class="diag9">"The 
Tin Woodman must build us a raft, so 
we can float to the other side."</span>
</p><p>
So the Woodman took his axe and began 
to chop down small trees to make a 
raft, and while he was busy at this 
the Scarecrow found on the riverbank a 
tree full of fine fruit. This pleased 
Dorothy, who had eaten nothing but 
nuts all day, and she made a hearty 
meal of the ripe fruit.
</p><p>
But it takes time to make a raft, even 
when one is as industrious and 
untiring as the Tin Woodman, and when 
night came the work was not done. So 
they found a cozy place under the 
trees where they slept well until the 
morning; and Dorothy dreamed of the 
Emerald City, and of the good Wizard 
Oz, who would soon send her back to 
her own home again.
</p>
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